Evaluation of an open access echocardiography service in the Netherlands: a mixed methods study of indications, outcomes, patient management and trends

Table 5 Open access echocardiography: significant changes in indications, outcomes and specialist advice (SD, %)

Variable	First 250 patients	Last 250 patients	Change	p-value
*Patient characteristics*
Mean age, in years (SD)	62.6 (18.0)	59.5 (19.1)		0.057
Gender, number of females	147 (58.8)	151 (60.4)		0.715
*Indications*
Cardiac murmur only	79 (31.6)	100 (40.0)	+	0.050
Any dyspnoea	111 (44.4)	65 (26.0)	-	0.000
Dyspnoea only	50 (20.0)	20 (8.0)	-	0.000
Dyspnoea and peripheral oedema	24 (9.6)	11 (4.4)	-	0.023
'Other' indications	41 (16.4)	67 (26.8)	+	0.005
'Other' only	27 (10.8)	55 (22.0)	+	0.001
*Echocardiographic outcome*
Any LVD	110 (44.0)	85 (34.0)	-	0.022
Diastolic LVD only	95 (38.0)	74 (29.6)	-	0.047
Any valve disease	65 (26.0)	43 (17.2)	-	0.017
Mitral insufficiency	18 (7.2)	8 (3.2)	-	0.044
Pulmonary insufficiency	7 (2.8)	0 (0)	-	0.008
Tricuspid insufficiency	21 (8.4)	3 (1.2)	-	0.000
LVH	121 (48.4)	99 (39.6)	-	0.047
PHT	48 (19.2)	23 (9.2)	-	0.001
No disease*	55 (22.0)	82 (32.8)	+	0.007
*Outcome per indication*
PHT/cardiac murmur	24/131 (18.3)	11/147 (7.5)	-	0.007
PHT/dyspnoea	23/111 (20.7)	6/65 (9.2)	-	0.047
No disease/dyspnoea	23/111 (20.7)	23/65 (35.4)	+	0.033
No disease/'other'	6/41 (14.6)	22/67 (32.8)	+	0.036
*Cardiologist's advice in patients with positive echocardiographic outcome*
Any advice	78/195 (40.0)	100/168 (59.5)	+	0.000
Repeat echocardiogram in x years	8/195 (4.1)	28/168 (16.7)	+	0.000
Adjust medication	8/195 (4.1)	21/168 (12.5)	+	0.003

Abbreviations: LVD left ventricular dysfunction; LVH left ventricular hypertrophy, PHT pulmonary hypertension; + increase; - decrease
*No disease: neither valve disease nor left ventricular dysfunction or left ventricular hypertrophy or pulmonary hypertension or septum defects

ISSN: 1472-6963